First British Titanic diver to tell stories from wreck visits

The first British diver to visit the Titanic wreckage will feature in a new exhibition in Liverpool, telling stories from his explorations of the doomed ocean liner alongside items retrieved from the ship.

The vessel famously sank in the north Atlantic on 15 April 1912 after hitting an iceberg, resulting in the loss of some 1,500 lives.

Dik Barton, who went on to make a total of 22 dives to the wreck, said it was "so exciting" to bring the exhibition to the former headquarters of the ship's White Star Line operator, which is now a hotel.

It will feature talks from Barton, parts of the kits he used in his dives, fragments of the ship people can touch, and footage from his visits to the wreck, which lies some 3,800m (2.4m) deep on the seabed.

Beginning on Monday, it is a precursor to a permanent exhibition set to launch in January, which will have a broader historical focus, featuring more artefacts and the wider story of Titanic, her passengers and crew.

It will feature more than 250 items - some never seen before - including original pieces of Titanic deck wood, coal, sections of the hull, a passenger list documenting 1912 society alongside original letters and postcards written by passengers.

Barton helped co-ordinate the retrieval of more than 6,500 artefacts from the wreckage and is thought to have spent more time in and around the Titanic than anybody else alive in the world.

He made his first dive in 1993 and later gave advice to director James Cameron for the 1997 Titanic film.

The 66-year-old curated and designed the exhibition at the White Star Line Hotel, and said it was particularly special being hosted in Liverpool, which has such strong links to the vessel.

Barton, who has been a diver since he was 17, said his dives had been an honour.

"It's been a privilege. More people have been to space than to the Titanic wreckage.

"My mandate is to make sure I share it with the world."

Barton, who lives in Carlisle, Cumbria, said it takes a "certain kind of mentality" to spend long periods underwater with "zero light and zero oxygen".

"It's been fun but it's had its moments," he said.

"It can be a dangerous and hostile environment."

He described one "hairy" moment when a rogue tide resulted in him getting trapped under the ship's stern for an agonising six hours before managing to get free.

But he said despite the dangers he would happily "do it all again".

Barton said he believes the story of the Titanic would always continue to captivate people with its "history, nostalgia, romance and intrigue".

The exhibition runs from Monday until 22 December, with a permanent exhibition set to launch in January

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